In following along with Mission Log Podcast I have been almost salivating to watch TNG again, and this is the start of something extraordinary. This will be probably be about the tenth time through next gen for me. This time I will choose to watch it with the idea that the whole 7 seasons are a test by Q. Time to start the Blu Ray.

I got a chance to talk to Velton Ray Bunch for my Quantum Leap Podcast. Mr Bunch composed the music for thirteen episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise. And won an Emmy for “Similitude” for Best Dramatic Underscore.

I liked that they weren’t just piling on William Shatner like a lot of people do. I think what John and Ken said were valid points. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
can be looked at in different ways.

The first way is a movie about finding God and then not finding him. This makes both Theists and Non-theists uncomfortable at least, and totally uninterested or mad at worst.

The other, and this is the way I choose to view it as, is just having fun seeing the old crew again. I laugh at the same parts Ken does. The computer voice was funny.

I always enjoy John’s trivia and Ken’s reaction to it. It seems like Ken isn’t a bonus feature kind of guy, which works out for this podcast. If both hosts knew everything about the behind the scenes goings on, then it wouldn’t sound as conversational and real.

The bad about the movie is the horrible premise and the lack of ending. To go from a huge Kirk/Rock Creature battle to a moaning head and a round of “Row, Row Row Your Boat” is a little different.

I don’t think all the blame is on Shatner. If the FX people had been able to accomplish the vision the filmmakers intended it might have been different. Would it have been enough for it to save ST5?… probably not, but it might have made it mediocre enough to not be considered the worst of the film series (I would still rather watch 5 than 1 myself).

On a personal note, 5 was the first movie I ever heard in stereo at home, I was incredibly impressed and thought it could never get better than that -cut to years later watching Into Darkness at an IMAX.

I did learn that I like the message that The Final Frontier was trying to convey, (as I understand it at the moment) thanks to John giving me a new and better perspective on the intentions of the film’s moral lessen.

I’m really happy the original cast didn’t end their mission here, it would been a very unsatisfying destination to such an amazing trek.

Another great show by all. Also… Hay, I liked The Adventures of Pluto Nash
😀 I had no idea Jane Wiedlin from Go-Gos was in Star Trek 4, I have to watch it again. I understand John and Ken tiptoeing around the environmental message in this movie. Anytime you talk about reason over superstition you are either going to lose listeners or get a lot of email. I face this issue on my own podcast. I think more so because Quantum Leap has a fantasy element to it where Star Trek is more science based. And I wouldn’t say this on my show either, but thinking a magic man will somehow clean up our planet, to use an analogy, is like messing your room up as a child and waiting for a god to clean it up for you. I think what we all need to do more is when someone has a bass ackwards opinion because of whatever Faith they believe in is to ask them flat out if they believe in magic and superstition. It seems we as a culture have been able to get rid of our crazy pre-science beliefs, save one. If they say it’s not magic or supernatural, ask them to explain why and watch in amazement how their face gets a blank look and they become extremely confused, frustrated and walk away. People care more about continuing ignorance, when I think a lot of them truly know better, than doing what’s right for our planet and future generations. Yes, it is a Spock copy, so he isn’t really our Spock, he is just as much Spock as a post transport Spock though. Also, why does he remember what he said after he put his Katra in McCoy?

Cuttlefish are very alien. Loved the Dark Willow reference. On the subject of whales in captivity, I think the real question is (I learned this from the last Mission Log) do animals have rights or not? In my opinion they should have the freedom to live where and how they want. To be upset the way whales are treated at Sea World while walking around eating a turkey leg is hypocritical. If you are going to have pets, that’s where you side on the issue. Size is irrelevant. I always thought that there were more humpback whales in the probe, idk why I thought that, but that was always my thinking. Money is not real. Weather it’s paper, digital or gold pressed latinum. The only reason it’s valued is that other people value it, because other people value it… Because, well you see what I mean. To me money is the thing that makes my daughter cry in the morning because I have to leave for work instead of having more imaginary tea (her recipe is amazing BTW). So that was my opinion in the topics raised in this show.
The episode over all felt really good. Seems like they enjoyed recording it, and you can tell.
Star Trek IV was the first Trek film I saw in the theater, I was eleven and it was the best movie I had seen to that point, it’s still in my top ten at number eight, right behind A Very Long Engagement
.
Looking forward to MLOG 95, and go easy on the Shat Man. 😀
~Albie

PS Has anyone noticed that the Mission Log episode numbers are aligned with the movie numbers? A coincidence or just pure genius?